T. Rowe Price O's new jersey sponsor

[AdamK]

Starting to feel like I don't think I am ever going to like anything again.

 

But seriously, the outfield is looking more and more like the Yankees outfield - which has to be up there with the worst of the worst.

 

 

This type of progress is why I am not looking forward to other ballpark "improvements" the surveys sent around (home plate clubs, upper-deck nightclubs, movie theatre seating, etc)

 

Edited July 16 by AdamK

[Otter]

6 minutes ago, AdamK said:

Starting to feel like I don't think I am ever going to like anything again.

 

But seriously, the outfield is looking more and more like the Yankees outfield - which has to be up there with the worst of the worst.

 

 

This type of progress is why I am not looking forward to other ballpark "improvements" the surveys sent around (home plate clubs, upper-deck nightclubs, movie theatre seating, etc)

 

Agreed, I hate seeing all the ads covering the outfield walls, scoreboard, behind home plate, on the mound, etc...

I hate when the ads behind home plate are white or lighter colored so you actually have a hard time tracking the ball to home plate as it passes through the advertisement.

That used to be the big difference between minor league and major league stadiums.  And those advertising patches...so annoying.

As with many things right now, the rich businesspeople find ways to get richer and usually at our expense...

[LookitsPuck]

20 minutes ago, Allan Bryant said:

Speaking of Mr Rubinstein  , his trade deadline is coming in two weeks .  We then can see what moves Orioles made . If nothing happens and Elias makes a speech of excuses  ?

Then in five months, the official winter meetings commence, no free agents signings  made ?  Elias holds another press conference filled with excuses ? 
 

Then maybe we could conclude that Rubenstein is the more wealthier and friendlier John Angelos  

For me it come down to this:

• There is additional advertising dollars coming into the O's this year compared to years past
• 70% increase in Birdland Memberships
• Over 15% increase in attendance
• Increase in ticket prices

Payroll this year is roughly $102m, last year it was $71m. That is a nearly 44% increase. While that came under Angelos, that might very well be a direct result of him knowing he was going to sell the club and - also - these are one year deals (Burnes, Kimbrel). 

For me, at our peak spending in 2017, Peter Angelos was shelling out nearly $175m. To me, that feels like a ceiling for a mid-market team that is sharing eyeballs/dollars with the Nationals. But that's in 2017 dollars. If we account for inflation, that is nearly $230m. I don't necessarily agree that inflation should factor that much, but my point is that this team *can spend* $200m. That'd be a Top 10 spending team. And that's without all these additional marketing dollars.

I reckon attendance *and* Birdland Memberships will go up again in 2025. Sustained winning does that. I wrote this in 2023: https://stephenpauladams.substack.com/p/orioles-attendance-is-up

$100m+ in spending is possible and there is going to be zero excuses available to Rubenstein if we don't see one/multiple of our young stars extended and/or premium FAs with multiple years signed.

 

[jamalshw]

Do I like it? No. Do I really care though? Also no. Maybe I'm not quite to my "old man yelling at clouds" era yet (though I'm sure it's coming), but it really isn't that big of a deal for me. It's incredibly minor compared to the giant hotel blocking the view. 

[Allan Bryant]

5 minutes ago, LookitsPuck said:

For me it come down to this:

• There is additional advertising dollars coming into the O's this year compared to years past
• 70% increase in Birdland Memberships
• Over 15% increase in attendance
• Increase in ticket prices

Payroll this year is roughly $102m, last year it was $71m. That is a nearly 44% increase. While that came under Angelos, that might very well be a direct result of him knowing he was going to sell the club and - also - these are one year deals (Burnes, Kimbrel). 

For me, at our peak spending in 2017, Peter Angelos was shelling out nearly $175m. To me, that feels like a ceiling for a mid-market team that is sharing eyeballs/dollars with the Nationals. But that's in 2017 dollars. If we account for inflation, that is nearly $230m. I don't necessarily agree that inflation should factor that much, but my point is that this team *can spend* $200m. That'd be a Top 10 spending team. And that's without all these additional marketing dollars.

I reckon attendance *and* Birdland Memberships will go up again in 2025. Sustained winning does that. I wrote this in 2023: https://stephenpauladams.substack.com/p/orioles-attendance-is-up

$100m+ in spending is possible and there is going to be zero excuses available to Rubenstein if we don't see one/multiple of our young stars extended and/or premium FAs with multiple years signed.

 

LIP , you wrote good post . I hope Mr Rubenstein himself gets to read this . 

[spiritof66]

I really disliked it when teams sold naming rights to their ballparks. But I got used to it. (I can't keep up with most of the corporate names for ballparks, sometimes creating confusion. If the Orioles go in that direction, I hope the name becomes _______ Park at Camden Yards, even if retaining "Camden Yards" lowers the revenues.)
I really disliked it when ads started showing up on the wall behind the catcher. But I got used to it.
I really disliked it when ads started appearing on the back slope of the mound. But I got used to it.
I really disliked it when MLB allowed advertising patches on uniforms. But I got used to it. 
I really dislike the blue sleeve patches on Oriole uniforms. But I'm pretty sure I'll get used to them. (By the way, I hadn't been aware that the T. Rowe Price patch appears on the sleeve facing the pitcher. Do switch-hitters have to change during the game ?-- I'd hate to see the sponsor not get its money's worth.)

For most of this stuff, my attitude was summed up long ago by Groucho, as S. Quentin Quale, and Chico Marx in Go West:

• S. Quentin Quale : You love your brother, don't you?

  Joseph Panello : No, but I'm used to him.

The one piece of commercialism that I hope, and am pretty sure, that I will never get used to is the five whistled notes played loudly at Yankee Stadium when a visiting player strikes out. That's the signature jingle of P.C. Richard & Sons, a regional chain of appliance and electronic stores based on Long Island. Injecting an audible plug, unavoidable if you're at the game or watch/listen with the sound on, during the inning is too much for me.

Before that whistle started, I outfitted three kitchens and bought a half dozen TVs,  two washers and a dryer, a stereo system, and two or three cameras (plus things I'm not recalling) from P.C. Richard. I srtill shop at P.C. Richard because it's so convenient. But I just shop -- I don't buy anything there. Haven't since this promotion started.

 

[.500_OR_BETTER]

39 minutes ago, AdamK said:

Starting to feel like I don't think I am ever going to like anything again.

 

But seriously, the outfield is looking more and more like the Yankees outfield - which has to be up there with the worst of the worst.

 

 

This type of progress is why I am not looking forward to other ballpark "improvements" the surveys sent around (home plate clubs, upper-deck nightclubs, movie theatre seating, etc)

 

I am 100% fine with the ad / sponsorship banners. This is called corporate revenue and should bring in additional $$$$ which should help with extended our core young stars..... I can't see how paying $300+ for stupid moive theatre seat is going to improve this stadium.  The only thing they should be doing is updating the scoreboard and for the love of god - please update the sounds system and hire a legit PA.

[interloper]

3 minutes ago, .500_OR_BETTER said:

I am 100% fine with the ad / sponsorship banners. This is called corporate revenue and should bring in additional $$$$ which should help with extended our core young stars..... I can't see how paying $300+ for stupid moive theatre seat is going to improve this stadium.  The only thing they should be doing is updating the scoreboard and for the love of god - please update the sounds system and hire a legit PA.

I think if you think these types of things are going to fund Gunnar extensions and the like, you are playing yourself for a fool. At least until there is tangible proof of an extension, I simply refuse to believe they will engage in that because there is no track record of doing so. The fact that Rubenstein is new and engaged in the team and smiles with fans doesn't really convince me they will spend money. They have to actually do it first. 

[LookitsPuck]

52 minutes ago, interloper said:

I think if you think these types of things are going to fund Gunnar extensions and the like, you are playing yourself for a fool. At least until there is tangible proof of an extension, I simply refuse to believe they will engage in that because there is no track record of doing so. The fact that Rubenstein is new and engaged in the team and smiles with fans doesn't really convince me they will spend money. They have to actually do it first. 

Also, let's be frank about things like stadium naming rights. The Ravens are getting $60m over 10 years from M&T which is $6m/year. But that's stadium naming rights. I have to imagine jersey and a big ass, ugly sign above the scoreboard should be hefty...but not quite stadium naming rights heavy. I'd imagine this is worth something like $2m/year. This is just a guess, but is that really helping much for FA or extensions? Arguably, no. 

[jabba72]

The Baltimore mountain goats comment was funny

[Campmoon]

Are those dips and high leading to the Ram (retirement?) supposed to mimic expected investment returns with T. Rowe Price? That doesn't give me confidence. I'd expect better.

[gtman55]

I actually like that sign.

[Allan Bryant]

18 hours ago, interloper said:

I think if you think these types of things are going to fund Gunnar extensions and the like, you are playing yourself for a fool. At least until there is tangible proof of an extension, I simply refuse to believe they will engage in that because there is no track record of doing so. The fact that Rubenstein is new and engaged in the team and smiles with fans doesn't really convince me they will spend money. They have to actually do it first. 

In other words , we believe it when we see it .  I’m not convinced yet either but sooner or later, we will find out .

[BRobinsonfan]

20 hours ago, jamalshw said:

Do I like it? No. Do I really care though? Also no. Maybe I'm not quite to my "old man yelling at clouds" era yet (though I'm sure it's coming), but it really isn't that big of a deal for me. It's incredibly minor compared to the giant hotel blocking the view. 

I am really surprised at how quickly I embraced "old man yelling at clouds" status when it comes to this stuff.  I am literally becoming my father with each passing day.  I'm only a year away at best from refusing to "go outside without a hat" no matter what the temperature is.  

In another thread I complained about how much I hated the uniform patches, but I must admit, I haven't really even noticed them.  It still won't stop me from complaining about them 'cause old man's got to old man.'  

[SemperFi]

Not taking a side but for historical context Ebbets Field RF circa the 50's- this was one of the inspirations for Camden Yards down to borrowing the H and E from the Schaefer Beer sign.  Note how the wall juts out for advertising-this would be considered a hazard today but this was in an era in which you still had monuments and flag poles in play.

Ugly arm patches have been around for years too!! 

Edited July 17 by SemperFi